SciFi Art Now is a book collecting some of the best in contemporary science fiction art by a wide range of creators. The book, edited by John Freeman, includes an introduction by the legendary Chris Foss and is on sale now in all good bookshops.

Friday, 15 October 2010

Artist Nick Brokenshire, who has been illustrating and teaching for a few years now, has been a lifelong comics fan, consuming 2000AD, the 1980s Eagle "and anything from the US that I could get my hands on" He graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a degree in illustration and trained as a secondary school art teacher.

Much of his illustration has been focused in the music promotions world but he's been trying to get into the Sci-Fi and Comics field more recently.

SciFi Art Now: What tools do you mainly use to create your art?

Nick Brokenshire: I tend to do all my layouts in non photo blue pencils, followed by black ink (brush and pen). I have used Photoshop to do much of my colouring over the years but I am trying to use more of an acrylic wash/Photoshop hybrid these days.

SciFi Art Now: Why?

Nick: I like to achieve as much as possible on paper with inks and paints and then use Photoshop for touching things up because it allows me to retain a certain fluidity in the final product.

SciFi Art Now: What inspired you to become an artist?

Nick: I always filled my head with fantastical stuff from a young age. I watched a lot of cartoons and read tons of comics. In 1977, Star Wars blew my little head right off and I found bits and bobs of concept art and 'making of' information here and there. That inspired me to draw and invent things. Making art has just been a natural part of my life.

SciFi Art Now: What was the most useful piece of advice you were given when you began learning your craft?

Nick: Nobody gave me any advice when I was young and that's probably why It took me a long time to figure out how to go about finding my way in the art field. I came into it professionally sort of late. I have heard many artists that I respect say that never giving up is the key and that's advice I try to give myself every day.

SciFi Art Now: Which artists most inspire you?

Nick: Jack Kirby, Alex Toth, Robert Crumb, Jeff Smith, Jamie Hernandez - lots of comics guys. I love Schiele's art. Da Vinci amazes me. Hundertwasser. Too many. I sometimes have to force myself to not look at other artists because I get so wrapped up in their work that it can cause a stumbling block to my own.

SciFi Art Now: What is the appeal to you of science fiction as an inspiration for some of your work?

Nick: I like the way that fantastical images and situations bring forth very clear and identifiable human responses. I like archetypes and classic storytelling because they put the human condition into simple terms. Science Fiction and Fantasy imagery tends to inhabit this realm.

SciFi Art Now: Do you have a favourite piece of work or project you have worked on?

Nick: Not really! I like my Flygirl and Barnaby piece in SciFi Art Now because it relates to a comic I'm currently working on.

SciFi Art Now: In your career, have you had any bizarre experiences while creating your art?

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About Sci-Fi Art Now

Sci-Fi Art Now is a book collecting some of the best in contemporary science fiction art by a wide range of creators. The book, edited by John Freeman, includes an introduction by the legendary Chris Foss, published in the UK by ILEX and in the US by Harper Collins.

A full list of artists featured, together with links to their web sites, appears below.

Chris Foss

Chris Foss provides the introduction for Sci-Fi Art Now, an artist who has had an immense impact on our collective vision of the future down the years, as cover artist for many SF books written by authors such as Harry Harrison, Philip K Dick, Isaac Asimov and E.E. 'Doc' Smith'; and his design work for films such as Alien and Superman.